Last updated on August 4th, 2023
You may have noticed the “No fee unless we win” banner on the homepage of this website. It may seem to good to be true, but I promise you, we have represented over 100,000 clients with this arrangement and it works well for both lawyers and clients.
In this post, I will explain why personal injury lawyers are more affordable than most other lawyers, and how our fee agreements put all the risk on us, not the client.
In every state, there is a legal process for compensating injury victims for lost wages, medical bills, and property damage. In some cases, they may be required to compensate you for your suffering or other damages. If you’re injured by a defective product or dangerous drug, the company that produced the product or drug may even have to pay punitive damages to you. “Punitive damages” are large sums awarded by the court to the injured party as a punishment to the maker of a dangerous product.
So, how do you go about getting compensated for your injuries? Most of the time, you will need an attorney to file a lawsuit against a defendant and their insurance company. Some people are intimated at the thought of hiring a lawyer because they think they can’t afford the fees.
This isn’t an issue for personal injury lawyers because we work on what is called a “contingent fee” arrangement where we aren’t paid unless you win your case.
Of course, when you’re hurt or sick and struggling to make ends meet, the last thing you want to think about is hiring an attorney. They’re expensive, right? You don’t want to have to pay a huge legal bill on top of all your other expenses. Who can afford to hire an attorney?
The answer is: anyone can afford a personal injury lawyer. For personal injury and certain other types of cases, attorneys work on a contingent fee basis. That means you can afford experienced help on your side.
Attorneys started to use contingent fee payments because they recognized that most people don’t have the resources to hire an attorney upfront, especially if they’re hurt and out of work. However, ordinary people who are hurt and out of work need the help of attorneys the most. A contingent fee lets you get the excellent representation you need to get the compensation you deserve, without putting a huge hole in your wallet.
A “contingent fee” is a fee that only gets paid if you win. In other words, your attorneys will handle your whole case for free. If you win a monetary award, they’ll take a percentage of it at the very end. That means you never have to pay a penny out of pocket. No costly retainer fees, no expensive hourly billing. In a contingent fee arrangement, the attorneys only get paid if you do. If your case doesn’t result in a payout, they get nothing.
Note that, if your case is successful, you may be required to pay court costs and filing fees out of the settlement you receive. These amounts are billed in addition to the contingent fee. You may also have to pay certain fees for expert services. For example, you may have to pay a fee for an accident reconstruction specialist. You’ll only have to pay for those expenses at the end of the case, if you win. In a contingent fee arrangement, your attorney will not stick you with a bill for costs in an unsuccessful lawsuit — he or she will pay them.
Additionally, both Ohio state law and the Ohio Bar’s code of ethics for attorneys have rules regarding the use of contingent fee arrangements. State law requires that any contingent fee agreement be set down in writing and signed by both the attorney and the client. The Ohio Rules of Professional Conduct further note that that written agreement must also clearly state whether the client will be liable for any of the expenses associated with filing a particular lawsuit, such as court and filing fees. Fees must be reasonable, considering the difficulty of the case, the time it will take to handle it, and other factors. Also, the Ohio Rules of Professional Conduct bar contingent fee arrangements in both criminal and domestic relations cases.
A contingent fee arrangement, or any fee arrangement at all, is just like any other contract. You need to be sure you understand what you’re signing up for. Make sure you’ve discussed the terms regarding the ultimate contingent fee. What percentage is your attorney charging? Is that similar to what other attorneys in the area charge for similar cases? A little research can save you a lot of cash. You’ll also want to address the issue of expenses. Is your attorney going to pay for court costs, filing fees, expert services, and other expenses upfront, or will you have to find the cash?
AN EXPERT TIP FROM DOUG MANN
While contingent fees make legal services available to people who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford such help, they’re not perfect. A contingent fee can be an inaccurate form of payment. If your case settles quickly and the attorney doesn’t have to do much work, you may feel like the contingent fee is too high. If your case takes a long time and a lot of work, your attorney may actually be losing money by handling your case. It’s important to be aware of those issues. It’s also important to be aware that contingent fees are fair in the majority of cases; few cases are so quick and easy that you end up overpaying.
More than anything, you want to make sure your attorney is good at her job. Insurance companies and manufacturers of the products and drugs we use every day are huge corporations.
They have entire teams of attorneys dedicated exclusively to ensuring that they pay as little compensation to injured parties as possible. They’ll also pressure you to accept early settlements for less than you really deserve. It can be hard to say no to that kind of offer, but your attorney knows what your case is worth and can help you negotiate a fair settlement.
To make it even harder, the legal rules for how a case can proceed are complicated and confusing — there’s a reason law school takes 3 years to complete on top of college. Without an attorney, it’s much more difficult to get the compensation you deserve. An attorney will take some of your award as payment, but that’s much better than getting no award at all. On a contingent fee basis, you get a trained attorney to handle the ins and outs of your case and you don’t have to pay any cash out of pocket.
When looking for a personal injury lawyer, the following professional awards and recognition can help you find an experienced lawyer:
Another tip for finding a qualified lawyer is to ask how much experience they have representing the injured. Have a look at their case results page. These resumes don’t guarantee you will have the same result, but they give you a flavor for the types of cases the firm has handled.
If you’ve been injured, contact one of our experienced personal injury attorneys today for a free consultation. Our practice areas also include medical malpractice, workers’ compensation cases, and more. We’ll go over your case with you to help you determine how best to pursue your claim for compensation.
Prior to forming Dyer, Garofalo, Mann & Schultz, Doug worked as a bodily injury claims adjuster for a large insurance company. This unique experience has been a tremendous asset to Doug in his fight to achieve maximum cash settlements for his clients in minimum time. Since departing from the insurance company, Doug has dedicated his entire legal career to helping injured clients when they need it the most.
This will be the second review I have written. Can not say enough about Mr David Marquis, he has went above and beyond for me with my case. From day one, he has worked very hard for me to ensure that I would get what I was deserved. Also, his paralegals, Amy Smith and Allison was a God send. Whenever I had a question, they would get back with me within minutes.
I would highly recommend you to anyone. Thank you Mr Marquis and your staff for all you have done for me.
The team did a superb job of keeping me in the loop in regards to my claim. Brittany did an amazing job as my paralegal, following up with me as soon as she had news on my case. I truly can’t thank the Dyer, Garofalo, Mann & Schultz firm enough. If you are looking for legal representation that will truly fight for you, these are the guys to go with!
After an accident, and being inundated with offers from out-of-town lawyers, I called DGMS, and I am glad I did. They took over and I received a maximum payout very quickly after all the medical was done. Especially, Amy K. who always took my calls, and answered all my questions promptly. Thanks Amy K.
If you or a loved one has been seriously injured, please fill out the form below for your free consultation or call us at 1.937.222.2222
